


The Memory of Pain

by Cornerofmadness



Series: Boston [2]
Category: Prodigal Son (TV 2019)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Malcolm Bright Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-15
Updated: 2020-02-15
Packaged: 2021-02-27 20:49:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,072
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22732063
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cornerofmadness/pseuds/Cornerofmadness
Summary: Gil knows what painful anniversary Malcolm is facing and isn’t going to let him deal with it alone.
Series: Boston [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1642066
Comments: 31
Kudos: 93
Collections: WIP Big Bang Challenge 2020





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [literati42](https://archiveofourown.org/users/literati42/gifts).



> **Disclaimer:** Not mine, Chris Fedak and Sam Sklaver owns it
> 
> **Notes:** written for literati42 who wanted some Gil and Malcolm interactions around an anniversary. And also written for International Fanworks Day 2020

XXX

Chapter One

“You know how I love puzzles,” Edrisa called over her shoulder from where she knelt over an open grave. “But you’ve given me a quite the meat jigsaw today. What do you make of it, Bright?”

Gil watched him toe the line, almost to where the earth would crumble and send him into the grave. Malcolm’s eyes sat in his skull sunken more than usual and his skin the color of soured milk. Even his lips seemed dry as if he’d been neglecting his self-care for weeks. Well, it was Malcolm and Gil knew what day they were fast approaching. Malcolm always struggled with this particular personal anniversary. Add in the fact he was still recovering from the horrible things Waktins had done to him, the cast on his hand a visible reminder, and Gil knew this was going to be a rough week. The last thing they needed was Edrisa’s meat puzzle.

“Is that a rock in his mouth?” Malcolm eyebrows rose.

“In all six mouths, but that’s not the weird thing,” Edrisa replied.

“It’s not?” Dani asked a wry look spreading across her features.

Edrisa, oblivious, shook her head. “The arms and legs have been removed, which isn’t as easy as it sounds.”

“Trust me, it doesn’t sound easy.” JT shuddered.

She shot him a look. “It’s that someone pounded a stake through their chests, pinning them to the ground.”

“Dr. Tanaka, are their heads turned face down in each grave?” Malcolm bounced on the balls of his feet. Gil edged over, ready to grab for him, in case Malcolm Tiggered himself on top of Edrisa in the grave.

“Good guess.”

“Vampire graves! Someone replicated vampire graves.”

_Of all things to perk him up_ Gil thought but there was no denying the brilliant gleam in those wide blue eyes. “Vampires? Really?” he asked at the same time as JT.

“Obviously not real vampires,” Malcolm said.

“Though that could be exciting,” Edrisa added.

“We have a different idea as to what’s exciting.” JT rolled his eyes.

“How do you even know these are vampire graves?” Dani tried to drag them back on topic. 

“I did a study abroad in a Romania cemetery that had been recently uncovered,” Edrisa said. “They had a few there.”

“My father read me _Dracula_ as a child, and I’ve been interested in vampires ever since,” Malcolm said still bouncing as he went from open grave to open grave peeking in. _He couldn’t be more excited if someone had just given him an entire garbage bag filled with chocolate and good booze,_ Gil thought wryly.

“ _Dracula, The Count of Monte Cristo_ , maybe your old man’s choice of reading materials should have been a red flag,” JT muttered.

Malcolm shot him a sour look over his shoulder. “Martin Whitly prized classical education. I already had sat through enough anatomy lectures to pass a high school AP class in it. He had me auditing it when I was nine.”

“Still a red flag, bro.”

“He doesn’t appreciate how much a genius your father thought you were and if you were passing, then he was right,” Edrisa perked up, giving JT a withering look. Her protective streak was cute, certainly better than her awkward flirting, which Gil had been wondering if he’d have to have a private word with her about. He didn’t want it to become a big thing.

“But why vampires?” Dani struggled again to redirect their focus. The way her brow knitted suggested to Gil she was ready to kick one or more of them into a grave and start filling it.

Malcolm shrugged. “I have no idea, not yet but I’m looking forward to finding out.”

Gil was sure the answer was going to give them all chills.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The [ Bronx Zoo](https://bronxzoo.com/) really is having the Valentine's Day event referenced here. I decided they had to go there for a) that event b) me suddenly remembering that both Dani and Jackie were from the Bronx and c) me having worked in the Bronx once upon a time.

Chapter Two

The day had started weird but by the next day the weird vibe had twisted into something darker. Gil knew it was something beyond the case under Malcolm’s skin at the moment but he wasn’t sure how much to tell the rest of the team. They obviously knew Malcolm’s mental health had chinks in it. Anyone spending any time with him would pick up on it in spite of how well he usually hid it. He could be edging toward another lashing out as the upcoming anniversary approached. Hell, it was the day after tomorrow. How had it snuck up so fast? This wasn’t going to be a good day.

Malcolm hunkered at his desk, staring at the pictures on the computer from the crime scene. They still didn’t know the identity any of the victims and were still waiting on Edrisa to finish with the multiple autopsies so they could at least have a time frame to be looking at. Without know who their victims were, finding the killer would be extremely hard. Even knowing that didn’t seem to bring much solace to Bright who sat, back stiff, hands clenching and unclenching as he examined the photos struggling to come up with more than half a profile. 

“Hey, bro, let’s take a break and take an early lunch,” JT called as he and Dani strolled up to Malcolm’s desk. It sounded like a good idea to Gil.

“Go without me. I’m not hungry,” Malcolm replied, not looking at them.

“You never are but we all need to eat,” JT said.

Malcolm slapped his hand down on the desk, glaring up at his teammates. “What I _need_ is to be left alone so I can try to puzzle out why anyone would go through the trouble of recreating vampire burials here in this day and age. Lunch isn’t going to help with that.”

Dani’s eyebrows shot up at the harshness of his tone. “No need to bite our heads off.”

“Bright,” Gil interrupted before things could disintegrate further. That acetylene hot glare swiveled his way but he was used to Malcolm’s swinging moods. 

He thumped his cast down on the table making a gonging noise. “Gil, I need to be able to concentrate. As fascinating as the graves are with so little to go on I can’t pull the threads together and I don’t need all of you interrupting-”

“In my office.” Gil interrupted anyhow, stabbing a finger toward the open door.

“How can I work-”

“Did I say this was a debate? In my office and you wait on me.”

Malcolm stormed off like a petulant child. Gil sighed.

“He’s wound too tight, boss, even for him.” JT tracked Malcolm’s retreating back.

“Is something wrong?” Dani asked. “Is this all about Watkins?”

Gil shook his head, debating how much he should tell them. It was deeply personal and nothing Malcolm would want broadcasted. “That didn’t help but it’s something else. I need to get him out of here and let him decompress.”

“He’ll fight.”

“He won’t know about it until it’s happening,” Gil replied. “Just where to take him where he can get out of his head for a little while, that’s the question. You two can handle things here.”

“We’re stalled until the autopsy reports come in anyhow,” JT replied. “I’m working on tracking down land ownership for the grave sites.”

“Take him somewhere fun.” Dani smiled and whispered something in Gil’s ear. When he agreed, she slipped him a twenty to do her a favor on the way.

XXX

Malcolm glanced out the Le Mans’s side window watching the urbanscape slide by. “Can’t help but notice this is not the way home, not to yours, mine or mother’s.”

“Did I say I was taking you home?”

Malcolm’s gaze swiveled over to him. “I assumed since I was in trouble I was being taken home. You keep reminding me I’m not supposed to be working in the first place.” He shook his casted hand.

“And you’re not and we both know why you’re out of sorts right now.” Out of the corner of his eye Gil watched Malcolm duck his head and turn back away. He hated that the kid was in this much pain and he was powerless, mostly, to do a damned thing about it other than what he was attempting now. “We’re stalled until Edrisa’s team makes some headway, and it seemed like the smart idea to get you out of there before JT was tempted to show you some of the uglier things he learned in the military.”

Malcolm sighed. “I owe them an explanation.”

“No,” Gil replied sharply. “You owe no one an explanation about this anniversary of yours, kid. An apology for being hot headed, maybe, but if you want to keep this private, then do so.”

Malcolm nodded, and from what he could see of his expression, Gil suspected he was weighing his options. If he trusted the team with his secret that was Bright’s business. Gil trusted Dani and JT to hold that secret tight for him. As Gil wended through traffic, Malcolm remained uncharacteristically silent. He fiddled with the Le Mans’s ancient radio before turning it off. Finally, he perked up.

“Gil, are we in the Bronx?”

“We are.”

“Why?”

“You’ll see.”

When Gil drove into the Bronx zoo’s parking lot, Malcolm’s face lit up. He insisted on paying for the entry fees, a peace offering for needing Gil to have to settle him down. Gil bit back a sudden rush of emotion as they went inside. The last time he’d been here, it had been for Jackie’s birthday just before she got sick. Malcolm put a hand on his arm. 

“I miss her too.”

“I know, kid.” Maybe this wasn’t as good an idea as it felt like when Dani suggested it. They both settled though as they started walking through the old, well managed green space in the heart of the city. He let Malcolm pick their trails, somehow not surprised but still amazed that world of reptiles was one of the first stops. He had never understood – nor shared – Malcolm’s fascination with snakes. He was willing though to let Malcolm slowly poke his way around the reptile house.

It wasn’t until they were in the Himalayan Highlands that Gil spotted cracks in Malcolm’s demeanor. His jaw trembled as he watched the snow leopards lazing about. Gil put his hand on Malcolm’s shoulder. “You okay, kid?”

“No,” he whispered.

Gil sucked in a deep breath. He was used to the lies but this was the second time Malcolm was honest in just a few days about the fact he was struggling mentally. He wished he could do more, that he could pull the pain out of Malcolm and just let him rest. “Can you tell me about it?”

“Not here, not yet.” Malcolm kept his eyes on the big cats. “They’re beautiful, aren’t they, Gil?”

He let Malcolm change the topic. “I always feel lucky to get to see them. “

“I could probably stand here all day watching them.”

Gil doubted that. Standing still was not one of Malcolm’s strong suits but he let him lie. 

“Why did you bring me here, Gil?”

“You needed to let your mind rest and the fact you didn’t protest much tells me you know that.”

Malcolm shrugged, digging a finger under the lip of his cast scratching at an itch that was no doubt out of reach. “I know but the zoo in winter?”

“You always liked it, and Dani suggested we try here.”

He turned to face Gil, his eyebrows cocked way up. “Dani?”

“I guess she likes the zoo,” he said in a tone to suggest Malcolm might do well to remember that. “Speaking of which, I need to make a stop and buy something for her.”

“If it’s an apology gift, you better let me do it.” He sighed. “I’ll take suggestions as to what might be appropriate.”

“It’s not an apology, and you can never go wrong with chocolate or caramel with Dani. For Valentine’s Day, as a fund raiser, the zoo is letting you purchase cockroaches.”

Malcolm squinched up his face. “Dani likes roaches?”

Gil chuckled. “I’m pretty sure no one likes roaches. No, they’ll put the name of your ex on the roach and feed it to the meerkats.”

“Really? That’s hysterical.” Malcolm laughed, pulling out his phone. He texted someone.

“Are you telling your mother about that?” Gil grinned.

“And my sister.”

“Jess will probably buy a new enclosure’s worth of them with your father’s name.” Gil patted Malcom’s back. A sudden vulnerability flashed cross his face. God, was Martin Whitly ever going to be done hurting his son? Gil didn’t know what this was about but sensed it was new, the thing Malcolm had been hiding from him. He put a hand on Malcolm’s shoulder. “Do you want to go now? You’re looking pale.”

He shook his head. “I want to buy roaches or at least let you buy one for Dani. I’m guessing she wants you to put the name Khalil on it.” He managed a faint smile.

Gil took a step back, surprised, and then realized Malcolm had been paying close attention that first day when Dani had compared her ex to his description of the serial killer fan they were after. “Definitely Khalil.”

“I find myself in that uncomfortable spot where I want to know more but understand it’s highly inappropriate to ask.”

“It’s her story to tell and she might given time. Dani’s very private. Just leave it as he was a jerk.”

Malcolm took another lingering look at the snow leopards. “She is kind to me.”

“I’ve noticed and I’m glad.” He was more glad then he could say. He hadn’t been sure either JT or Dani would ever warm up to Malcolm but to his delight both of them had. Dani had a way of calming Malcolm down he hadn’t seen since Jackie had passed. 

“Me too,” Malcolm said as he followed Gil to buy roach futures. “I find this fascinating.”

“Dani or…”

“The roaches. The psychology of being so infuriated with an ex that you’d want to metaphorically feed them to a wild animal is actually rather complex and at the same time primitive,”” Malcolm babble though the look on his face said he found Dani fascinating too. Gil should have anticipated that but he hadn’t. Malcolm had been so bad at the taking an interest in someone thing it hadn’t crossed his mind. And he had been interested in that friend of his mother’s but something had gone wrong there. Malcolm shut him out when he’d asked about her.

“And not just an ex, I’m sure there were plenty of times Jackie would have fed my name to a meerkat.”

“Like when you’d rather be out there polishing the LeMans than taking her out,” he piped up. “Or how you try shooting your clothes into the hamper from across the room, miss and leave them lay there.”

Gil nudged him gently. “Who knew you were paying such close attention to my marriage.”

“hard to miss. Besides, I had to learn somewhere what not to do in case I ever met someone who didn’t run screaming from me,” he tried to joke but Gil heard the pain.

He reached over and rubbed the back of Malcolm’s neck. He leaned into the touch.

“But since I’m not a car guy that first mistake wasn’t very likely.”

“And since you’re ridiculously neat, neither is the other.”

Malcolm rolled his eyes. “I do tend to leave my shoes where I kick them off.”

“Might want to work on that or it’ll be your name on a roach,” Gil said knowing damn well Malcolm’s idea of ‘kicking off his shoes’ was to flop them off and set them next to his bed if he was in a messy mood. 

“Surprised JT didn’t hand you a twenty for the privilege.” Malcolm smirked.

“He didn’t’ know,” Gil replied. “I’d be here with a hundred dollars otherwise.”

Malcolm snorted. “I saw what he labeled my contact number that time I stole his phone.”

“Betting it didn’t say Bright.” Gil knew what it had said last time he looked over JT’s shoulder. Poor Malcolm.

“It did not.”

“I said you two wouldn’t like each other. I might have overstated things. You get that he does like you or at least values you as part of the team which is huge. Neither he nor Dani give their trust easily but you have earned it.”

“They let me try to earn it which is more than the FBI ever did.”

Gil kept his I told you so to himself this time. “You did good, kid. You realize that anyone of the team would be willing to help you through the next few days, even without knowing why you’re struggling. They’d assume what Watkins did to you was the cause. We both know more went on there than you’re telling e.”

Malcolm’s shoulders slumped. “I can’t yet.”

“And that’s fine.”

“Is it?”

“Okay, not really but it’s not fair to force you to talk about things you’re not ready for.” Gil knew he needed to know, that he was fighting a battle without the proper weapons. It’ worries me when you tell me you’re not okay because you always lie about that.”

“I don’t _lie_ ,” Malcolm lied without a hint of shame. “I exaggerate.”

“Tomato, to-my god I’m worried, Kid and I’m not saying that to pressure you.”

“Gil you’re always worried about me but I’m not going…” his voice broke. “I’ll be okay I’ll call you if I’m not or Dani.”

“Even JT, kid. He’s a soldier. He’s done battle buddy stuff so he isn’t unfamiliar with PTSD. He’d help if he can.”

Malcolm nodded. “I won’t forget. Dani will be good. She understands me.” 

“I know.”

“I don’t even understand how she manages it. She’ll say something and everything is suddenly all right again. She told me she doesn’t believe I’m broken beyond repair and for a second I believed her,” he whispered.

“As well you should. I’ve been telling you that for a long time.”

Malcolm made a face. “You’re family. They’re supposed to say that.”

He patted Malcolm’s back. Gil didn’t need to be told he was family. He could hear Martin’s voice mocking him, accusing him of yearning to be Malcolm’s father. He’d been off the mark. He didn’t have to yearn. He already was in all the ways that counted and Malcolm wasn’t shy of acknowledging that. “Maybe so, but it’s true.”

Malcolm mulled that over. “She makes me consider the possibility.”

“And that makes me happy.” Happier than he could tell Malcolm because he didn’t want to worry him more and knowing how frightened Gil was for him would put on the pressure. He let Malcolm slip into talking about the psychology of feeding the roaches as revenge because he knew he needed to feel safe and this gave Malcolm that.

Once they left the zoo, he stopped for pizza, just a simple cheese and pepperoni that could be rolled and eaten with all the mess and fun that should go into eating a pie. They took it home to Gil’s place. Ever since Malcolm had first come to spend nights with Gil and Jackie, they had a spare bed adapted to suit his night terror needs. Malcolm kept a few changes of clothes in the closet and always knew he was welcome and at home here.

Gil was surprised Malcolm made it through a single slice of pizza and a beer before he finally broke. He wept inconsolably against Gil’s shoulder for a long while, finally getting it all out. Gil wanted to head straight to Claremont and finish Martin Whitly for him. If Watkins hadn’t lied then Whitly had tried to murder his child. No wonder Malcolm had snapped at him the other day, blaming him for bringing him back into this mess. That had hurt m ore than Gil could say and for Malcolm’s sake he’d been willing to bury much of that pain, to accept the apology without complaint. 

He had no words that could possibly comfort Malcolm or ease the new mental scar so Gil simply held him. As he rubbed Malcolm’s side in a vain attempt to be comforting, he could feel the ridge of scar tissue, still fresh and barely healed from Watkin’s blade. It unnerved him. Malcolm had nearly bled out and if he thought about it, the pain of that near lose would overwhelm him. What he needed was to be strong now. He could indulge his own pain once Malcolm was asleep or at least making a passing attempt at it. Gil wanted to hit fast forward on the next few days but that was impossible. All they could do was muddle through them like they always did but this time it came burdened with the fresh hell heaped on by all Watkins had said and done to Malcolm. For the first time in a long time, Gil feared not making it through.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Three could use a little editing. Will get to it soonest.

Chapter Three

“He looks worse than usual,” JT muttered to Dani within Gil’s hearing.

He glanced over at Malcolm who busily jammed a pen under his cast, trying to scratch. Dani had given him what little she and JT had gleaned yesterday while he and Gil had been at the zoo and Malcolm had sequestered himself at the desk ever since. “He is. He’s in for a rough patch but he’ll be okay,” Gil said and JT shot him the hairy eye. “As okay as he ever is.”

That mollified JT and Dani said, “This sounds like it’s not the Watkins things.”

“That isn’t helping though the zoo did. Fair warning, I swear he’s on the edge of writing a paper about the psychology behind the idea of feeding a roach with your ex’s name on it to a meerkat. He might try to interview you.”

Dani shook her head, a smirk riding on her lips. “Did he ask about Khalil.”

“He remembered the name from the first case but he figured if he was meant to know you’d tell him. Besides, his mother laying in an order distracted him, not to mention three three Ainsley bought. I’m not sure he even knew those men. He’ was thoroughly amused.”

“Why does that make me nervous?” JT mumbled.

“He gets very high energy,” Gil replied and JT shuddered. “Did he apologize?”

“We’ve been giving him his space,” Dani replied.

“He seemed content that way,” JT added.

Gil nodded. “It’s getting close for him to leave for tonight. He’s not going to be in tomorrow. Neither will I.” He’d convinced his bosses not to rescind his vacation day. Dani and JT were plenty capable. It was keeping bright away from the vampire theme that would be a problem. “We’ll be in touch if you need us but we’ll be out in the Hamptons.”

“A little cold to enjoy that,” JT said.

“They have a house there.”

“House or mansion?” JT grinned.

“Palatial estate would be more accurate,” Gil replied. “Bright, come here.”

Malcolm obeyed; his eyes gleaming. “I have ideas about our killer.”

“You can tell Dani and JT we’re getting close to time unless you want Jessica to be sitting in the house wondering.”

The disappointed expression in his face was so comic. Dani couldn’t hold in a snicker.

“She raised a hand. “Sorry.”

Malcolm sighed. “Gil, I want to-”

“Work. Always I know why but you can’ think it over while relaxing in front of the fire.”

“Now I’m just jealous,” Dani said. “Wish I had a day off in the Hamptons.”

“I’d take you if I could,” Malcolm blurted out, his eyes going wild as he realized what he’d said. Gil bit his lip to keep from laughing.

“Bro, did you just ask Dani out?”

“Can’t be date if Gil and Mother are there,” Malcolm protested weakly.

“It is if you send them somewhere else,’ JT countered, and Malcolm’s shocked expression deepened. “Oh, that’s not a thing.”

“No, it’s not,” Gil replied. Three years ago, it would have been unthinkable. Now, he was less sure.

“I was going to say I’d happily take you and Tally too but…”

“Save that for when she can go out on the beach. I’m sure your place is beach front.”

“It is.”

“Are you okay now” JT asked.

Malcolm made a face and gestured for them to follow him. He led them into Gil’s office and shut the door behind them.

“I don’t normally tell people this.”

“And you don’t have not now,” Dani broken in.

He put up his hands, nearly clunking himself on the chin with the cast. “I know but…maybe it’s a good thing.” Malcolm sank onto the couch. He canted his gaze up to JT. “You asked me once if it was weird growing up with a serial killer father.”

“I was out of line.”

“It’s okay. It was beyond weird. Up until the moment I found the girl in the box, I idolized my father. He was kind and attentive and he spent so much time with me, playing games, reading books, taking me camping and to learn it was all…his disguise.” Malcolm’s voice cracked and he glanced away, forcing himself back up to his feet to pace. “It was hard. No, that’s understating it. You have to understand, I was ten. I lost my father because I’m the one who turned him in. Mother was in so much pain, was so ostracized from her own friends, she barely had the energy for me or Ainsley. The police detectives blamed me, tried to tie me into my father’s killings.”

“You were just a little kid,” JT growled.

“Even so. All my friends stopped talking to me. Even if they didn’t want to, their parents weren’t about to let them near me. I lost everything, even my voice. The guilt, fear and anger were so big, I locked up. Finally, I did start talking again, mostly because of Gil and Jackie but it was…I don’t know. Not enough somehow. I was overwhelmed and all the therapists, this was before Dr. Le Deux, were pulling me every which way. I broke.”

“Bright, are you sure you want to tell us all this,” Dani said softly.  
‘  
“I need to apologize for yesterday and I do but maybe if you understood what’s going on, you’d understand why I’ve been so…impossible.” His shoulders slumped. “I was so isolated and at that point, Mother was still leery about letting me go somewhere with strangers.” He gestured to Gil. “Might have been different if she had trusted more but I don’t blame her. She had been betrayed too deeply. Anyhow, what I’m trying to get out is…” Malcolm dropped his gaze to the floor. Gil took a step closer and he held up a hand. “Tomorrow is the anniversary of the day I swallowed all of Mother’s sedatives. I just wanted all the pain to end. I was eleven. Luckily she found me in time, realized what I had done and obviously I recovered but this week is always hard for me. I remember the pain. I can’t ever escape it.” He sucked in a ragged breath. “So, my family always makes sure I’m okay and not alone on the anniversary. That said, it’s a memory I could do without.”

Dani closed the distance between them. She rested a hand on his cheek. “No kid should have to deal with that much pain.” 

Malcolm steeled his jaw but said nothing. Dani gave him a quick hug and JT patted his shoulder.

“You go to the beach house and just chill out for a day or two,” JT said. “Dani and I have this.”

“But you can call if you want,” Dani said. “And that goes for any time. If you need to talk.”

Malcolm managed a smile. “Thanks. That means a lot. I do want to tell you about this case before I go.” 

“Let’s hear it,” Dani replied.

Gil let Malcolm rapid fire what he thought about the case and where they should look next before hustling him out into the car. Malcolm lapsed into another uncharacteristic silence on the long drive. He occasionally surfaced from the fugue to talk about something light and pointless but made for a good distraction. Jessica had beat them to the home and was waiting for dinner to be delivered. Someone had set a fire in the fireplace for her.

Malcolm installed himself on the couch without protest. That’s how Gil knew he was exhausted. He sat next to him. “I’m glad Mother left my nurse back in the city but she still thinks I can’t bathe myself.” He shook his cast hand.

“I hope to hell you’re good there.” Gil eyed him. “There are limits.”

Malcolm snorted. “I’ve been handling it just fine because I’m terrified to let my nurse _in_ the shower with me, trust me. She was warming my sheets with hot water bottles.”

“Still on your own there,” Gil assured him.

Grinning, he replied, “Thanks for bringing me here.”

“Always, you know that. And you didn’t have to tell them everything, you know that.”

“I do. I trust them. They deserved to know the truth. I think it’ll be okay.”

“I do too.” Gil rested his hand on Malcolm’s shoulder. “Anything I can do for you now?”

He shook his head. “You’re already doing it. Mother is getting us drinks. Dinner will be here soon. I think I’m good.”

Gil knew good was a stretch but Malcolm would be okay at the end of this. They were used to this particular rough patch and he could see the weird case was still rolling around in Malcolm’s mind. Gil was grateful for it because it was something to keep Malcolm distracted from his pain. They’d take it an hour at a time, just like always. It was worth every effort he put into it. He didn’t want to imagine life without Malcolm in it but tonight he didn’t feel very worried. Malcolm seemed more relaxed than he had yesterday. He had ideas for keeping Malcolm on an even keel tonight and tomorrow. Gil knew it would be all right in spite of it all. He had faith in Malcolm and watching him reach out to Dani and JT, that was comforting. Even with his new wounds, Malcolm was finding ways to slowly heal and what more could he hope for?


End file.
